Wolff 'liked' Hamilton's Ferrari F1 move: 'Everyone has a shelf life'

But since the major regulation changes that took hold of the world championship in 2022, both parties have been on the back foot.

After his crushing and controversial defeat to Max Verstappen in the 2021 drivers’ championship, Hamilton has recorded just two race wins — both of which came in 2024 — has been on pole position only once and currently occupies seventh-place in the 2024 drivers’ standings.

He’s often struggled in comparison with team-mate George Russell, who outscored Hamilton throughout his first season with Mercedes in 2022 and currently leads the team in 2024.

“There’s a reason why we only signed a one-plus-one-year contract,” Wolff adds, referring to the extension deal Hamilton had signed midway through the 2023 season, before he decided to activate an early release clause and move to Ferrari. “We’re in a sport where cognitive sharpness is extremely important, and I believe everyone has a shelf life.

“So I need to look at the next generation. It’s the same in football. Managers like Sir Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola. They anticipated it in the performance of their top stars and brought in junior players that drove the team for the next years.”

Mercedes’ line-up for 2025 reflects Wolff’s need to look to the future, as joining Russell will be 18-year old Kimi Antonelli, who has been managed by the Mercedes team boss since his early days in karting.

Putting faith in younger drivers has been a common theme of 2025’s ‘silly season’ with Antonelli set to be joined fellow rookie drivers Oliver Bearman (Haas), Jack Doohan (Alpine) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) on the grid next year.

Meanwhile the departing Hamilton, who will turn 40 prior to his first race for Ferrari next year, will aim to showcase what his experience is worth during his final days in F1.

“I feel like I’m ending a relationship that’s perfectly fine,” he reveals to Whyman when asked about leaving Mercedes. “We’re still in love. I haven’t lost faith in the team. I’m just leaving for myself.

“[Moving to Ferrari] has been a childhood dream. I think it’s probably the same for every kid who loves motor sport. You know? Driving the red car. The fact is I’m moving towards the end of my career. I’ve only got a few years left, and so I started thinking how I’d feel looking back on it all. I asked myself if I’d be truly happy if I just stayed with the team rather than experiencing something different.

I thought about it long and hard over the winter. It was a heavy time. I have this amazing thing going on here, after all. It’s been a huge privilege, and I genuinely love working with everyone. I also know moving is a big risk. But then I love risk. In the end, I just couldn’t get it out of my head.”

“This was a business decision,” adds Wolff. “We’ve enjoyed such a successful journey together, and now we have our own objectives. This didn’t even move the needle for me.

“I’m thick-skinned, you know? I’ve had some pretty tough moments in my life, and this doesn’t compare.”